- One of the most beautiful pieces of equipment that I have in the kitchen if not the whole house. Desert Ironwood is so beautiful... nothing beats natural beauty!!- Fits nicely in my hand; Les is able to change the size for hand size.- The weighted feature is really nice; much more comfortable.- Give Les the portafilter you use and he will make it fit. For the Silvia, he made it a perfect 58mm.- Very solid. I expect that it will last forever.- Being able to support a guy like Les who is passionate about what he does and who does wonderful work.- Did I mention that it is a work of art?

Negative Product Points

None really. Expensive but I really do enjoy its beauty so it is worth it.

Detailed Commentary

Though aginst the grain of many, I really do not feel that a tamper is that critical of a piece of equipment. I use to use a measuring cup because it was the perfect size for my portafilter... better than the cheap plastic one that came with the espress maker. Once I got use to it, it worked fine.

Tha being said, this is the best money I have spent on my coffee equipment because it is a beautiful piece of equipment and I do enjoy using it. For that reason alone I think my shots are better than ever. For the record, it does work much better then the measuring cup. The complexity and beauty of the wood make it a joy to look at. Each angle shows a different look and different light show different looks as well. Whenever I use it, I spend time admiring the natural beauty of the grain. Makes me want to pull more shots.

Well worth the price!

Buying Experience

Les, who makes the tampers, is a really nice guy and I enjoyed talking to him about tampers, coffee, and other stuff. I got the tamper quick and it was more beautiful then the view on the web site. It is always a treat to buy from a craftsman who enjoys his work.